Journey into Mystery 22
by D
Summary: Mr. Hyde and the Cobra together! Can Lady Thor stop them?


Journey into Mystery 22

A Mighty Tale Told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

The Cobra and Mr. Hyde!

"This meeting is adjourned, so I swearth by the might of Mjonlir!" Lady Thor shuffled her papers and left the table as the rest of the Avengers milled around. The idea that each member would act as chairperson for a set time was a good one, as it didn't thrust all the responsibilities on one person. The only member absent was the Hulk, but she understood Ross was dealing with some personal matters.

Lady Thor inwardly sighed as she watched the Avengers. The group had decided to keep their identities secret, which she understood, although at the moment she would have preferred to have someone to talk to; she saw Ant-Man and the Wasp talking to each other over in the corner. "Ho friends! What good tidings do thou bring?"

"Nothing much goldilocks." Giant Girl walked behind her. "Just getting use to the East Coast. How about you?"

"Aye, nothing as middling as that I fear. My battles with Loki have occupied much of mine time, and seeing him ousted from Asgard's golden halls hath taken hold my mind."

"I can see where that would be busy." Ant-Man was neutral, but there was always a sense he didn't believe her.

"But I must be off." Lady Thor turned and marched off. She noticed the looks the Wasp gave Ant-Man. If those two weren't in love she'd eat her boots.

"But how can I talk of love without revealing mine own identity as Jane Foster, mortal nurse?" She made her way to the roof of Tony Stark's mansion. The manor was an impressive sight, taking up an entire block of Fifth Avenue. The billionaire inventor had been gracious enough to give the Avengers his house as a meeting place.

"Would that I could bring Don here." She sighed as she unhooked her hammer and took to the sky.

Soaring over Manhattan, she found herself lost in thought until she noticed a slender figure running across the rooftops. "Mayhaps the Spider-Man I've heard tales of?"

She swung low and hovered over the streets. The figure was wearing a green jacket and hood. He was also carrying a crowbar. She assumed Spider-Man hadn't taken up burglary in his spare time, so she followed him. He sneaked over to a skylight and started to work on the lock when she landed behind him. "Halt villain!"

"You!" Klaus Voorhees snarled as he turned around. "Why are you hounding me?"

"Why are you breaking into yon building?"

"I…I…shut up!" he thrust his arms out. Two green bolts shot out of his sleeves and wrapped around Lady Thor. Despite her efforts, she was unable to free her hands. Taking the distraction, Voorhees, formerly known as the Human Cobra, jumped off the roof and dashed down the fire escape.

With super human effort, Lady Thor shattered the coils and rushed to the edge of the roof, but the Cobra had slithered away.

It had been a mad run. Prying open the nearest manhole cover, Voorhees slipped into the sewer and ran blindly. After so many twists and turns he was sure he had lost his pursuer, if not himself. Finding the nearest ladder, he climbed to freedom.

"The Bowery?" He climbed out into another alley. He looked up but saw nothing. "Better get off the street, just in case."

Climbing a nearby dumpster, he jimmied open the closest window and slid inside. That was when he heard the gun cocking.

"If you would please stand a few feet to your right. I'd hate to get blood on my sofa." The voice was snide. The face looked much the same.

The man was standing in the doorway wearing a shabby housecoat. The pistol in his hand was new enough. "Wait, I'm not looking to steal anything!" Voorhees pleaded.

The man smirked. "Then you are a poor thief and a worse burglar." The man's eyes narrowed. "Wait, don't I know you?"

"I don't owe you money, do I?" Voorhees tried to recall the man's face too, but drew a blank.

"Now I remember, you're that Cobra fellow that fought Lady Thor!"

Voorhees relaxed somewhat. "Yes, just escaped her actually." The gun went back up. "I lost her, I swear! Look, I just need a place to catch my breath for a bit, then I'll leave."

"No, I have need of you. You see I have a rather large dislike of that meddlesome female too." The gun went into his pocket. "Dr. Calvin Zabo." He stuck out his hand.

"Klaus Voorhees, but you can call me the Cobra."

"Cobra? How delightful! You can call me by my professional title too in a bit." Zabo indicated a small chemistry set up on the table. "Mr. Hyde, if you please."

"Wait, you're Mr. Hyde? But that man was huge!"

Zabo smiled. "The wonders of modern chemistry." He took a vial from the table which had turned from blue to red. "I fear my last partner failed to meet my expectations. Heard she was suffering through some nasty withdrawals, pity." Zabo eyed the concoction. "Tell me Cobra, how would you like to get revenge on Lady Thor and become blind stinking rich while we're at it?"

"You had me at revenge." Cobra smiled.

Later that night

"What is this again?" Cobra, now clad in his proper costume, sat in the back on the van.

"A time reversal ray. Something that fool Richards is displaying for those simpletons at Empire State. If it works it will show us the past actions of Lady Thor."

"So we can track where she was?" the idea became clearer. "So if this works we can find where she lives, or if she has a secret identity!"

Zabo rolled his eyes. "Glad you figured that out." Zabo muttered. The coast was clear, given that time of night. "Get in and get out. If our information is correct we'll have five minutes starting…" he checked his watch, "now!"

The Cobra slipped out of the van and scaled the brick wall. The vent cover was easily opened and the last Zabo saw of him were his feet as he slipped inside the building. "Don't fail me Voorhees, or I'll do to you what I'm going to do to that meddlesome heroine…"

The theft had gone off without a hitch. The guards were on their break when the Cobra slithered inside. He had snatched the ray and climbed out via the vent and still had time to spare. "So, how does this work?"

"It would take a temporal physicist to explain, but all that matters now is for you to shoot Lady Thor with the ray while I cause a distraction. Then we follow the beam back to its point and gain our revenge!"

The next day

Zabo's van was parked in an alleyway. He was dressed in the oversized suit of his alter ego as the Cobra hefted the ray projector out of its case. "Do you remember the plan?" Zabo slipped a test tube out of his pocket and popped the cork.

"Of course. Are you ready?"

Zabo grinned. "Always." He downed the content and staggered out of the van. The Cobra gasped as the smaller man dropped to the ground in a seeming seizure, limbs flailing. Bones cracked in a horrid display as his frame swelled. Zabo's cultured if cruel face distorted and grew into a rough and bestial appearance, his black hair lightening to brown.

"Ha!" Mr. Hyde laughed, rattling the van's window. "You know what to do runt. I'm going for some fun!" Hyde lumbered off, flipping over a parked car on the way.

The Cobra, paling under his mask, climbed up the fire escape and waited.

Hyde was efficient if nothing else. He went full tilt into a rampage, smashing windows, throwing policemen, generally havoc for havoc's sake. It was nearly a minute before the familiar sight of Lady Thor soared out of the sky. "Hold!"

"Hold?" Hyde grabbed a nearby man and held him up. "Very well, but what if I were to continue? I could crush this fool's neck before your oversized prop could" he was interrupted when Mjonlir slammed into his chest, knocking him back and through an overturned car.

From the alley, the Cobra steadied the ray and fired. The lens glowed, but Lady Thor didn't seem all that bothered. Through the lens in his mask, the Cobra gasped when he saw a translucent version of Lady Thor appear behind the current one and fly backwards through the air. He slipped the ray into its case and climbed up to the roof. He pressed a button on his belt, sending a high-pitched signal to Hyde. "I hope that lunatic stops fighting long enough to follow me."

Hyde winced as the signal went off in his ear. "So, that fool made it work, now to act." He stood up and held his hands over his head. "I surrender!" he shouted.

Lady Thor blinked. "Has thou skull been battered?"

Hyde looked up and saw the Cobra running across the rooftops. "Sucker!" Hyde kicked part of the car towards Lady Thor. In one smooth motion, he slammed his fists into the pavement, sending himself crashing down into the sewer. "All I have to do is follow this buzzing and we'll learn the secret of Lady Thor!"

The Cobra followed the shimmering figure flying backwards through the city until she stopped at a small clinic. She landed neatly on the roof and walked backwards into the door. "A clinic? What, the goddess of thunder had a head cold?" He waited until Hyde climbed out of the sewer and slammed the manhole cover back.

"Where is she?" Hyde shouted as he ripped the signal from his ear.

The Cobra climbed down the side of the building. "The ray pointed to that," he pointed to the clinic. "She came out onto the roof and flew off."

"Don Blake's clinic? Odd." Hyde frowned. "Perhaps the ray is off?"

"Don't ask me, all I know is snakes."

"Very well. If Lady Thor came from there I suggest we wait. She's sure to return and we'll get to the bottom of this."

Slipping away, they watched as Lady Thor returned a few hours later. She landed on the roof and slipped in through the door. Hyde pushed the Cobra. "Now!"

The pair of them kicked in the front door. Dr. Blake stood in the waiting room. "What the devil?"

"Close, but Mr. Hyde will do." Hyde easily swatted Don aside. He picked up the slim metal cane and snapped it in two. "Where is Lady Thor?"

"What are you talking about?" Blake crawled backwards. Hyde picked him up with one hand.

"We know she's in the building. Cobra, go check the place out." Hyde looked at Don. "If he doesn't come back within two minutes, I'll pull something off."

"Hey!" a familiar female voice cried out.

"Jane!" Don cried and thrashed in Hyde's grip.

"Jane? Don, you old rascal" Hyde's leer faded when Jane Foster was shoved into the room. The Cobra nursed a busted mouth. He was carrying a gnarled walking stick in his hand.

"Caught her walking around, fought like a wildcat over this oversized toothpick." The Cobra tossed the stick to the ground. Hyde noticed Jane wince.

"A crippled nurse? No, you seem healthy." Hyde tossed Don aside. The doctor crashed into the wall hard enough to crack the drywall. "A family heirloom perhaps?" Hyde picked up the cane and tested it. Jane tensed up. "Yes, perhaps a gift from dear old daddy? Well, unless you want this to be the size of a splinter, I suggest you take us to Lady Thor. We know she came to this rathole and didn't leave." Hyde narrowed his eyes. "So… where is she?"

Jane looked to Don and then back to Hyde. "I need my cane."

"Why?" Hyde's grip tightened.

"There's a transmitter in the middle. If you tap it once, that will summon her."

"Hmm, and you two are what…support?"

"We help, yes. If you just let me do it…" she reached out for the stick, but Hyde pushed her back.

"Don't assume I'm a fool woman. Cobra, take them into the back room and lock them in. Once we summon Lady Thor, we can ambush her!"

Jane and Don were tossed into the backroom's closet. She heard the Cobra bracing the door with something, probably a chair. "What am I going to do?" Jane panicked. Don moaned softly.

"Finally, one hit with this and we'll be free of that blasted hero!" Hyde laughed as he held the walking cane. "To think, this was the key the whole time! I never would have guessed!" Hyde laughed one more time before slamming the cane full force to the floor. The world turned white and thunder filled his ears.

Jane gasped. She heard the thunder cracking. Her hands trembled as she realized what happened. "That fool! Can he understand Mjonlir's power?" Jane gasped she felt the power growing. "When I change, it's usually over in a flash. Am I changing to Lady Thor now?" She couldn't see in the dark, but she felt her frame swelling. Her shoes hugged her feet in a death grip before they exploded into tattered leather.

Muscles grew and hardened. Jane felt her uniform shred like tissue paper. Leaning down, she rushed the door, tearing it from its hinges and breaking the chair in front of it. Her tattered clothes slowly formed into her armor, but she couldn't wait. Kicking open the door, she stared at the two villains.

"What the devil?" Hyde found himself holding not a gnarled stick but Mjonlir. It was also stuck to the ground and wouldn't budge despite his best effort. Then the door flew open and Lady Thor stood there.

"I think a retreat might be in order." The Cobra turned and ran out the front door. Hyde followed, leaving the hammer behind.

Lady Thor followed, but not before checking on Don first. "I'm fine, just get them!" he waved her away. As she grabbed her hammer and flew off, Don collapsed against the doorframe, his breath shallow.

Hyde and Cobra managed to get a fair amount of distance from the clinic. Leaping into a passing truck, they hid under the tarp and stayed silent as they heard Lady Thor curse them. "Quiet fool!" Hyde spat.

"Shut up! You're the one making noise!" Cobra hissed. The tarp was thrown off the truck's bed, but instead of a Norse goddess they faced a group of confused workmen.

"Out of my way fools!" Hyde swatted them aside as the Cobra looked around.

"Look, we're in the Colosseum!"

"Wonderful, I suppose we can hide among the slack-jawed yokels and their tractors?" Hyde ignored the approaching security guards.

"No, look!" Cobra pointed to the banner which hung across the main floor.

"Heavy Machine Expo? Now this could be interesting!" Hyde grinned.

It didn't take long to track the two down. Following police cars, she traced them to the new stadium that opened. "Zounds, they shall pay for thy crimes!" Lady Thor swore as she flew in through the front entrance.

The arena had been mostly cleared, but the large machines had been left behind. Lady Thor walked carefully among the rows until a spotlight was cast on her. Ignoring the blinding light, she readied her hammer. "Surrender curs!" She heard movement, but she wasn't sure if it was Hyde and the Cobra or an innocent person.

She was answered when a giant mechanical jack slammed into her. Knocked into a display of various machines, she was quickly enveloped by a large mechanical press. The two sides slammed into her with enough force to crush steel. She was dazed, but to her horror her hands were empty.

"Cobra, now!" Hyde shouted from behind the control panel. The Cobra dashed down to the floor and slammed a box over Mjonlir.

"That case is pure titanium and with sealing bolts" the box shuddered as several bolts engaged, lodging it to the floor. "The Hulk couldn't move that, Lady Thor, and I think without your hammer you aren't as powerful, are you?"

"More right than you know" Lady Thor despaired. "If I don't get it back within a minute I'll change back to Jane Foster!" the press was increasing. She was using her full strength to keep from being crushed. "If I concentrate to call Mjonlir, this press might actually kill me! What can I do?"

The end (for now)

Based on "the Cobra and Mr. Hyde" which was first published in Journey into Mystery I#105 (June 1964) with credits to Stan Lee (script), Jack Kirby (pencils), Chic Stone (inks), and Artie Simek (letters)

Be here next time when "the Thunder Goddess Strikes Back!"

Journey into a Mailbox

They call Me Bruce

Marvel obviously decided to copy you sine Thor is a female now

…Hey, you're right! Well, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I guess.

From Darci

Well, the end of this story and your comments in the letters present a conundrum. They promise the wedding of Don and Jane, which never happened in our comics. Jane left Don fairly soon (JiM#108 or so?) and eventually married Dr. Kincaid. The Marvel Chronology Project JiM Annual#1 (and only!) as fitting in about this time, but in our world that was thorough disappointment composed of reprints. So clue us in, is the wedding coming in the Annual? Enquiring mind want to know…

Without spoiling too much, I'd say keep an eye out for the Annual, coming soon! And thank you so much for the comments and beta reading!

And keep an eye out for the following titles:

The Avengers#8-Their Darkest Hour!

Amazing Fantasy#13-The Grim Ghost Rides Again!

Sensational Comics#22-Captured at Last!

Tales to Astonish#21-No Place to Hide!


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